Student Podcast Subscription - CNN Student News http://www.cnn.com/studentnews
I subscribed to CNN Student News and used this podcast with my Forward Bound (alternative education night school) students. The first time I used it with my students we used the March 17, 2010 podcast. I had the students watch the podcast and answer the following questions:
1. Health Care. What seems to be the problem? Why do the Democrats and Republicans disagree on passing this bill?
2. Why did the reopening of a synagogue in Jerusalem spark protests?
3. Why was Tiger Woods' announcement about playing in the upcoming Masters ' Tournament of interest to the public?
4. Explain why Principal Schoepke posted the "F"ailing grade list in a Wisconsin school? Do you think he was right or wrong for doing this?
5. Listen and try to answer the "Shout Out" question.
6. Under the Spotlight category watch and listen to the "CNN Challenge Guide" to see how it works. Then go to "Are you ready for the CNN challenge?" and take the CNN Challenge Quiz.
I then had the students evaluate the CNN Student Daily News Podcast. What follows are the evaluation questions and student responses.
1. What did you like about the format of the CNN podcast?
-It was colorful (3).
-It gave organized information (2).
-There was lots of information.
-It was easy to understand, plus the video was alright.
-I liked the quiz.
2. Was there anything you disliked about the format of the CNN podcast?
-It was news (2).
-It moves a lot.
-It was complicated.
-The entire thing was confusing.
-Too much reading.
-At first it was confusing.
-Nothing.
3. Were you able to navigate the CNN Challenge Quiz instructions? If yes, what made it easy to navigate?
-It was easy (3).
-It was explained well, straight forward, even though I didn't answer all the questions right, it was
okay. If not, what made it difficult to navigate?
-I got bored right away.
-I didn't know anything.
-I didn't do it.
4. Do you believe students should keep up with current events?
-Yes, it's always nice to see what's going on in the world.
-It's not our problem. Let the world deal with it.
-Yes, because you then know what's happening.
-Not really, it's boring.
-No, because if they wanted to they would do it on their own.
-Some yes, some no. It wouldn't hurt to know what's going on in the world.
-Yes, we need to know what's going on.
My observations and evaluation of CNN Student News - The CNN Podcast opens with music and moves right into the top story. This grabs the students' attention immediately. Although the first story can be lengthy for some students, the script is well-written and informative. The stories that follow are shorter but still touch on important topics. These stories hold the students' attention and examine controversial, thought-provoking, and intriguing news stories. The "Shout Out" question is usually a question most students are able to answer or at least attempt to answer. Of course, some students are eager to shout out their answers while others are shy or apprehensive and remain quiet. The CNN Challenge Quiz is just that - a challenge. Most students found the quiz questions to be difficult. Some students attempted to answer all of the questions no matter their level of knowledge . While others became angry or discouraged and were not willing to continue the quiz.
The CNN Student News podcast is a wonderful tool for the classroom. It is similar to a program called "Channel One" that was shown over ten years ago for schools around the country. "Channel One" was shown over cable and came at a price. The CNN Student Daily News podcast is a free podcast that offers current events in a manner that is inviting to high school students. It is downloaded on a daily basis which provides me with a convenient way to present current events. Since I meet with my Forward Bound class only once a week, I am able to choose from previous days which current events I believe to be the most interesting or most important to share with the students. This also allows me time to prepare questions for content, feedback, and students' opinions.
Teacher Podcast Subscription - Teachers Teaching Teachers http://teachersteachingteachers.org
I subscribed to several podcasts for educators and found Teachers Teaching Teachers to be relevant in its content. This podcast is "a weekly webcast on the Ed Tech Talk Channel of the WorldBridges network." As I listened to the podcasts I came upon one that was intriguing not only due to its subject matter but also because of one of its guests. The February 17, 2010 episode featured Associate Professor William Kist and high school teacher Mike Slowinski. Kist teaches undergraduate and graduate courses at Kent State University that focus on adolescent literacy. Slowinski is in his third year of teaching English Language Arts to students at West DePere High School in Wisconsin. Kist wrote a book entitled, "The Socially Networked Classroom: Teaching New Media Age" and spoke at the 2008 Wisconsin Council of Teachers of English. Slowinski was at that seminar and contacted Kist afterward with an offer to begin a Facebook project with their students.
I was impressed with Slowinski's use of technology in the classroom. He convinced teachers, administrators, and the Technology Department to make it possible for him to set up a Facebook project with Kent State University and UW-Eau Claire. His students write papers that are sent to the preservice English teachers at the colleges who then critique, revise, and give feedback to the high school students. The high school students are given only 60 minutes of class time per day to work on Facebook then access is cut off. Their accounts are private and may only go public, if they want to, after graduation. Slowinski also set up online literary circles which was a mix of Kent State, UW-Eau Claire, and West DePere students. This assignment required a specific number of posts per week. Once again, privacy settings were adjusted for security reasons. Even more impressive was the lack of problems Slowinski has encountered. He mentioned that out of 800 students, 700 have used a professional Facebook account at West DePere.
These types of podcasts are beneficial and even inspiring. How wonderful for the West DePere students to experience 21st Century technological education. School size does not matter, all it takes is one teacher to spark educational practices to move forward.
Student Podcast Subscription - CNN Student News
http://www.cnn.com/studentnews
I subscribed to CNN Student News and used this podcast with my Forward Bound (alternative education night school) students. The first time I used it with my students we used the March 17, 2010 podcast. I had the students watch the podcast and answer the following questions:
1. Health Care. What seems to be the problem? Why do the Democrats and Republicans disagree on passing this bill?
2. Why did the reopening of a synagogue in Jerusalem spark protests?
3. Why was Tiger Woods' announcement about playing in the upcoming Masters ' Tournament of interest to the public?
4. Explain why Principal Schoepke posted the "F"ailing grade list in a Wisconsin school? Do you think he was right or wrong for doing this?
5. Listen and try to answer the "Shout Out" question.
6. Under the Spotlight category watch and listen to the "CNN Challenge Guide" to see how it works. Then go to "Are you ready for the CNN challenge?" and take the CNN Challenge Quiz.
I then had the students evaluate the CNN Student Daily News Podcast. What follows are the evaluation questions and student responses.
1. What did you like about the format of the CNN podcast?
-It was colorful (3).
-It gave organized information (2).
-There was lots of information.
-It was easy to understand, plus the video was alright.
-I liked the quiz.
2. Was there anything you disliked about the format of the CNN podcast?
-It was news (2).
-It moves a lot.
-It was complicated.
-The entire thing was confusing.
-Too much reading.
-At first it was confusing.
-Nothing.
3. Were you able to navigate the CNN Challenge Quiz instructions?
If yes, what made it easy to navigate?
-It was easy (3).
-It was explained well, straight forward, even though I didn't answer all the questions right, it was
okay.
If not, what made it difficult to navigate?
-I got bored right away.
-I didn't know anything.
-I didn't do it.
4. Do you believe students should keep up with current events?
-Yes, it's always nice to see what's going on in the world.
-It's not our problem. Let the world deal with it.
-Yes, because you then know what's happening.
-Not really, it's boring.
-No, because if they wanted to they would do it on their own.
-Some yes, some no. It wouldn't hurt to know what's going on in the world.
-Yes, we need to know what's going on.
My observations and evaluation of CNN Student News - The CNN Podcast opens with music and moves right into the top story. This grabs the students' attention immediately. Although the first story can be lengthy for some students, the script is well-written and informative. The stories that follow are shorter but still touch on important topics. These stories hold the students' attention and examine controversial, thought-provoking, and intriguing news stories. The "Shout Out" question is usually a question most students are able to answer or at least attempt to answer. Of course, some students are eager to shout out their answers while others are shy or apprehensive and remain quiet. The CNN Challenge Quiz is just that - a challenge. Most students found the quiz questions to be difficult. Some students attempted to answer all of the questions no matter their level of knowledge . While others became angry or discouraged and were not willing to continue the quiz.
The CNN Student News podcast is a wonderful tool for the classroom. It is similar to a program called "Channel One" that was shown over ten years ago for schools around the country. "Channel One" was shown over cable and came at a price. The CNN Student Daily News podcast is a free podcast that offers current events in a manner that is inviting to high school students. It is downloaded on a daily basis which provides me with a convenient way to present current events. Since I meet with my Forward Bound class only once a week, I am able to choose from previous days which current events I believe to be the most interesting or most important to share with the students. This also allows me time to prepare questions for content, feedback, and students' opinions.
Teacher Podcast Subscription - Teachers Teaching Teachers
http://teachersteachingteachers.org
I subscribed to several podcasts for educators and found Teachers Teaching Teachers to be relevant in its content. This podcast is "a weekly webcast on the Ed Tech Talk Channel of the WorldBridges network." As I listened to the podcasts I came upon one that was intriguing not only due to its subject matter but also because of one of its guests. The February 17, 2010 episode featured Associate Professor William Kist and high school teacher Mike Slowinski. Kist teaches undergraduate and graduate courses at Kent State University that focus on adolescent literacy. Slowinski is in his third year of teaching English Language Arts to students at West DePere High School in Wisconsin. Kist wrote a book entitled, "The Socially Networked Classroom: Teaching New Media Age" and spoke at the 2008 Wisconsin Council of Teachers of English. Slowinski was at that seminar and contacted Kist afterward with an offer to begin a Facebook project with their students.
I was impressed with Slowinski's use of technology in the classroom. He convinced teachers, administrators, and the Technology Department to make it possible for him to set up a Facebook project with Kent State University and UW-Eau Claire. His students write papers that are sent to the preservice English teachers at the colleges who then critique, revise, and give feedback to the high school students. The high school students are given only 60 minutes of class time per day to work on Facebook then access is cut off. Their accounts are private and may only go public, if they want to, after graduation. Slowinski also set up online literary circles which was a mix of Kent State, UW-Eau Claire, and West DePere students. This assignment required a specific number of posts per week. Once again, privacy settings were adjusted for security reasons. Even more impressive was the lack of problems Slowinski has encountered. He mentioned that out of 800 students, 700 have used a professional Facebook account at West DePere.
These types of podcasts are beneficial and even inspiring. How wonderful for the West DePere students to experience 21st Century technological education. School size does not matter, all it takes is one teacher to spark educational practices to move forward.